Maranoa and Western Downs residents petitioning for urgent Roma Condamine Rd upgrade

Residents are calling for drastic measures amid concerns that road trains are being forced to travel along major routes ‘narrower than a bike track’, with conditions so dangerous that crashes are happening weekly.

Maranoa and Western Downs residents are demanding urgent action be done to fix the crumbling Roma Condamine Rd, which services heavy traffic daily from road trains, caravans, cars and school buses. Picture: Supplied.

Truck drivers, residents and local politicians have banded together to demand action following recent concerns over the safety of a major, high traffic route.

Since the state government’s decision to stop heavy vehicles travelling across the Warrego Highway Dogwood Creek bridge at Miles, truck drivers have been forced to drive along the only other available route – the crumbling Roma Condamine Rd.

Road train operator David Scott drives along Roma Condamine Rd daily and said accidents are a weekly occurrence, considering the increasing level of traffic from cars and caravans.

“It’s f--ked, it’s beyond a joke mate,” Mr Scott said.

“It’s a disgrace to the road network, it’s hugely unsafe. Areas on that road are under 2.5m in width, which is the size of a standard trailer vehicle.

Maranoa and Western Downs residents are demanding urgent action be done to fix the crumbling Roma Condamine Rd, which services heavy traffic daily from road trains, caravans, cars and school buses. Picture: Supplied.

“There’s been a bit of work done on the Roma side, but the Western Downs side is a disgrace. The road’s been deteriorating more and more.

“It’s a major corridor for livestock. It’s a major route for those twenty feedlots. In the event of any emergency on the Warrego Highway, it’s a secondary major route.”

Maranoa and Western Downs residents are demanding urgent action be done to fix the crumbling Roma Condamine Rd, which services heavy traffic daily from road trains, caravans, cars and school buses. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Scott said in addition to the heavy traffic travelling along the road associated with the cattle industry and gas and mining sector, it is a major school bus route.

State member for Warrego Ann Leahy said after speaking with concerned road users and nearby residents, she’s assisting in bringing the petition to the Queensland government.

“This road is narrower than a bike track, yet the state Labor government think it is fit to carry wide loads that don’t even fit on the bitumen,” Ms Leahy said.

Maranoa and Western Downs residents are demanding urgent action be done to fix the crumbling Roma Condamine Rd, which services heavy traffic daily from road trains, caravans, cars and school buses. Picture: Supplied.

“This road is not wide enough for the existing heavy traffic let alone the additional over mass and wide loads forced by a diversion.”

The petition calls for works to restore the Dogwood Creek Bridge at Miles to full capacity as a matter of urgency.

Most importantly the petition calls for the rehabilitation and widening of the narrow sections of the Roma Condamine Rd to an 8m seal in the Western Downs Regional Council section and have these works completed over a period of no longer than two years.

Ms Leahy said she will fight for these residents and businesses along Roma Condamine Rd who produce millions of dollars in revenue for the state government.

“They deserve their fair share in return investment in this road,” she said.

Maranoa and Western Downs residents are demanding urgent action be done to fix the crumbling Roma Condamine Rd, which services heavy traffic daily from road trains, caravans, cars and school buses. Picture: Supplied.

Maranoa and Western Downs residents are demanding urgent action be done to fix the crumbling Roma Condamine Rd, which services heavy traffic daily from road trains, caravans, cars and school buses. Picture: Supplied.

Originally published as Maranoa and Western Downs residents petitioning for urgent Roma Condamine Rd upgrade